Thursday, May 25, 2006

Knitter's Remorse

What was I thinking, starting this sweater, with such inferior yarn and only 10 days left in the green month of May (per project spectrum). I wanted to revel in this green month and use up my green stash. I am making a basic v-neck cardigan out of a yarn that I bought a year ago just after I started my knitting life. It was a very inexpensive yarn and now I know why. It's like knitting with burlap. Yes...I am knitting a green burlap sweater. I am tempted to go into the woods and hack off some bark for buttons that would be so very appropriate for this burlap sweater. I don't think I would have committed a sweater to this yarn if it were not for the green month of May 2006 and this mistake of a purchase. I'm knitting it until May 31 and then it gets set aside to make way for the blue month of June and Moriah's Wildflower Cardigan.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

It's all about the socks

A couple weeks ago I was in a 3 day meeting with my co-workers, mostly women. We were close to a break (or needing a break) when the conversation starts to drift. Someone mentioned that she wanted to go shopping for shoes. Another "oh yeah, I plan my outfit around shoes". Another "no way...I plan my outfit around pants". I slipped and said "I plan my outfit around socks." I usually blend into conversations with my co-workers, but this created an awkward pause I am not use to being the source of. Heads turned and stared at me until I explained myself. "I like socks." silence "I knit socks." silence "I like wearing hand knit socks." Then they all pretended that last few minutes never happened.

I finished these broadripple socks tonight. Hmmm...what can I wear with them tomorrow.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival

Wet. Wool. There was a lot of both at this year's sheep & wool festival. Despite the torrential rain, it was a great festival. This mom & her babe spent Mother's day weekend under roof in one of the exhibition barns. Looks like they were both sheared recently.



This Mom was mid-shear and seemed amazingly comfortable with the process.










Oh my...all the fabulous yarn. I could of bought so much but I showed restraint. I did buy the Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book (I must make Moriah's cardigan), 2 skeins of Noro Kochoran to add to the 5 I have so I'll have enough to knit a sweater and one skein of Trekking XXL sock yarn so that I will be ready to trek in June.

Friday, May 12, 2006

Did you follow the instructions

Being a relatively new knitter I still find myself knitting merrily along not paying attention to the pattern. Then I'll get to a point where it's obvious I've turned down the wrong road and have backtrack to where I should be. I wonder if I'll ever get beyond that. It's particularly embarrassing for me since I encounter this behavior often during my work day. Part of my job as a technical consultant is to field calls from irate users who are frustrated with something not working as designed. I wait for them to take pause from their outrage to delicately ask and not quite in these words, did you follow the instructions. Live and learn...something we do everyday. I made quite a few mistakes that caused rework in this "simple" tank made for my good friend Janet who will turn 40 on May 19th. The color is burgundy, not sure why it looks pinkish in this pic. I still need to weave in the ends and block it, but I think it will be ok.

Here is a gift for another May 19th birthday girl, but this girlfriend is turning 3. It's a Girlfriend's Swingcoat designed by Wendy. I found a fairy princess button to attach for a closure at the top. Fairy princesses are Ava's favorite imaginary friends. This pattern was simple to follow. Wendy is a genius.

I have joined 2 more knit alongs. I was not going to join project spectrum, but after realizing I knit pink socks in March, an orange sweater in April and started green socks in May - heck I'm subconsciously doing project spectrum so I may as well join. This will be fun. I also joined the trek along with me which combines 2 of my favorite things - hiking and knitting. These knit along hosts are BRILLIANT!